Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-04-05
VoRGER KrssANE's CAREER.
a Wonderful Story of Success fui
Crime.

. w
Crime.
CONCERNING William Kissane, mention
a. in a dispatch from san francisco
~ the MORNING NEWS yesterday,
- New York Times says: way
s.ok in the fifties there was Or
Sanized in this city an extensive gang OF
~ who had reduced the forging OF
a,,hv mems names to q science, and
We for q long time made the opening OF
~ accounts very risky means OF
p"mH money. These rascals were to the
80 dagrea adrot and clever IN their
onner OF working aud long dehed the
, fer thousands OF dollars had
Sa"n oathered into their joint treasury,
bcwsyer. three of the torgers-and Two OF
nam happened to be the chief consplra-
tors--dld a little piece of work In Novem-
her. 1854, which was clever Dut not quite
Dtsver enough, and they were gathered
;nto the meshes of a. legal net thrown
about them.
Rilj Kissane, Lyman Cole, and Andrew
F;ndIav. the men arrested, were indicted
tor forgery in the first degree In having
nhtsined S6,01S from the Chemical Bank
an forged check, and again Tor having
Haafen the American Exchange Bank out
nj az. 900 on another forged check: The
case WAS dilly-dallied with by District
Attorney Oakley Hall, shifted from one
onrTt to another, ana Cole and Findlay
vere finally, for some reason or other. al
,oyed to 90. Kissane, less fortunate, was
convicted in the Court OF Cen
oroI Sessions, and brought before
Pecorder Fallon for sentence. The
Rlcorder had determined, ne after
Usrd said, to impose the full
term of i've years. Imprisonment, but
when arraIgned kIssane, then sprlghtly
Young man, made such an able address
for leniency, pleading his youth, MS good
family connections, his previous good
rhara cter, and presented all his points
with such eloquent force that the Re-
oorder. affected by the harangue, reduced
the intended sentence to one OF two years
and six months. or this, the entelprising
forper served but nine months, when, by
some influence, the Governor was brought
10 grant pardon, and he was released.
He left the prison, apparently achanged-
a good man. During his Imprisonment
he had gained the friendship OF every Of
fcjal about the place. He was a genial,
wonderfully gifted young fellow, and
when he left them the prison officials pre-
dicted for him a great and honorable
career.
For some years after this no one in this
part of the country heard anything about
the ex-forger. He had gone West, and
that was all that was known of him. But
at the beginning OF the civil war there was
report which reached New York that
Klssane had somehow struck it rich in
Ohio and was dong rushing business IN
steamboats, plying between points along
the Ohio river. Hardly had this report
been digested in New ; ork-his forging
exploits had won him a name and every
BODY had known him or OF him-When an
other and far different report came bowl
ing along. A big steamboat, the Martha
Washington, a part of which Kissane
owned, mad been burned TO the waters
edge at a wharf, and the circumstances
suggested incendiarlsm. The boat was
heavily insured, 100 heavily, 1t was
thought. kIssane was arrested, but after
long Investigation the authorities failed
to get any definite proof, and he was
finally discharged.
He disappeared again, but after lapse
of further years turned up In rather a
startling manner away out in Missouri.
He had made a nome In little settle
ment In that State, and as farmer had
begun to get along beautifully, when an
unfortunate thing occurred. One OF his
neighbors one day had the temerity. not
knowing the pushing Kissane's record, to
quarrel with him and to denounc6 him
transaction. Early on the following
morning this incautious manor rather
his body-was found peacefully lying at
bis front door, bullet hole through his
head, and not much that was valuable re-
naming In his establishment. Kissane,
when they went to look for him, had re-
newed his old trick and had disappeared,
and to this day the people of that part
have not laid eyes upon him.
Il ioa,, ~ .. Loo
iDg one than either previous departure,
and it becomes the mission of the press in
this city to make it appear that the willy
hlssane's last and final disappearance
auto the uncertainties OF the hereafter is
yet to be made. Before that gentleman
had made his first bow before an admir-
lug audience in this city he had, perhaps
unfortunately, been born-in Ohio. His
was an excellent, respected family, and
young hlssane was given every possible
opportunity TO improve mis- mind and to
prepare for successful struggle for fame
and fortune. In this he was so apt q
pupil that, when still a youth, he had
Identified himself somewhat unpleasantly
IN The burning down OF the establishment
OF Mr.. Francis Darr. Kissane had gone
ihto Duslnt SIS, Darr was his successful
HVal, and Darr's place was destroyed.
Inc promising young man went East.
Darr staid at home and cherished re-
Memorance OF his rival When the civil
war broke out Darr joined the Union army
Ahu fought his way up to the rank of Gen
eral. AT Its close he started in business
n New York, and remained here for
Years, occupying quite prominent posi-
tloh as a merchant. Some years ago,
however, ne determined TO 20 West, and
peihg something OF civil engineer he
vent 10 California. There he became in
eIested III mines, and after a time 40
eepteu a position as engineer to one OF
Sne biggest mining corporations in the
STATE One day he went to meeting oil
he Board OF Directors. Among them he
ound the former rival whose memory he
aAu lndustrIously cherished during all
we intervening years. He asked the
nINaFs nam, and 1t was told him.
ne ne never had heard it before, but
hlssaEe' ne knew was susceptible to
mduy and subtle changes. Klssane by
any otner name couldn't entirely wipe
WI MS record. Inquiries led TO the dis
ssoFeIy by Gen. Darr, that h issane, under
MS new name, was one OF the richest
Meh In San Francisco and OF the most re-
soected. He had been engaged In some
~ .ne largest nnanciai transactions m ade
~ 'ne country, and was looked up to as
1 Su dole nnancier. He truly was. he
m'eu IN magnificent house in Oakland,
t %as married, and to all appearance per-
SESIy content with life and its fruits.
Nh. Dsrr Kept quiet for time, and then,
S" eetlng his old rival in the street one
~ sccosted him as "BilI Kissane."